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Gluten In Prescription Med.

anti-soprano

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anti-soprano Apprentice
anti-soprano
Posted

Hi All,

I am about to start a new prescription, so I just checked with the manufacturer. Online this is their statement:

Contains Gluten:Product contains corn starch which contains a small amount of gluten, so it is not gluten free. However, it does not contain gliaden gluten, the type of gluten associated with celiac sprue.

 

I called to talk to someone, which was of no further help.  How can something contain gluten that won't affect me? I asked if they tested the product.  She said no, but again that the corn starch contains gluten.  If corn starch doesn't bother me (which it doesn't) then I should be able to take it.

 

So are there trace amounts of gluten that are below the detectable amount (20ppm) or is there something else in this that really doesn't bother celiac patients??? I find their response absolutely confusing.  If any of you can shed some light on this, it would be great!  

 

The drug I'm hoping to take is a generic version of a known gluten free drug, so I can easily go back to the pharmacy and exchange it.  But, with a partner out of work, I'm hoping to save 25 beans :)

 

Shellie

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kareng Grand Master
kareng
Posted

They are just letting the lawyers play around. Technically, gluten is a wide term that applies to grains. Gliadin gluten is the specific type in wheat. I would take it.

anti-soprano Apprentice
anti-soprano
Posted
  • Author

Thank you!  You are a fount o' knowledge, as usual!!

  • 2 weeks later...
anti-soprano Apprentice
anti-soprano
Posted
  • Author

Just wanted to come back and let anyone in a future search involving that medication know that it was perfectly fine.  No issues and I've been taking the pills for almost 2 weeks.

fran506 Newbie
fran506
Posted

Thanks for this reminder about meds. I have had quite a few medicine additions and changes and need to update the gluten-free info on the new ones.

SMRI Collaborator
SMRI
Posted

When I contacted our mail-order pharmacy about my medications, they said the current batch I had was gluten-free but they could not guarantee in the future that they could provide gluten-free medications and suggested I work with my local pharmacy instead.  I contacted 3 local pharmacies and they all said they could order in the brand I needed but I would need to give them extra time to process my prescriptions.  That was fine with me.  Since I can order my meds up to 2 weeks before I run out, I will just do that.

ravenwoodglass Mentor
ravenwoodglass
Posted

When I contacted our mail-order pharmacy about my medications, they said the current batch I had was gluten-free but they could not guarantee in the future that they could provide gluten-free medications and suggested I work with my local pharmacy instead.  I contacted 3 local pharmacies and they all said they could order in the brand I needed but I would need to give them extra time to process my prescriptions.  That was fine with me.  Since I can order my meds up to 2 weeks before I run out, I will just do that.

If what you are taking is a generic make sure that they check at each refill as binders can be changed in generics at any time. In a name brand drug that is not needed as they have to keep all ingredients the same. You can call the maker yourself to check also. I usually tell them I am allergic to wheat.

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SMRI Collaborator
SMRI
Posted

If what you are taking is a generic make sure that they check at each refill as binders can be changed in generics at any time. In a name brand drug that is not needed as they have to keep all ingredients the same. You can call the maker yourself to check also. I usually tell them I am allergic to wheat.

 

The pharmacist called the manufacturer, it is a generic med.  The pharmacist said that since they know that brand is gluten-free they would note that in my record and when I got my refills, they would order that brand.  The mail order pharmacist also called and got the same answer.  It was the same "brand" at both pharmacies. 

poneelovesyou Newbie
poneelovesyou
Posted

Many grain type plants have a class of proteins called "gluten" but it's a certain subfamily of these proteins in the wheat, rye and barley that cause problems. Seems weird that they were even mentioning the corn gluten. Are people actually sensitive to corn gluten? I guess they can be sensitive to anything in theory...

psawyer Proficient
psawyer
Posted

It is not unusual for a person with celiac disease to have other sensitivities. Dairy and soy are the most common, but corn is another common one. For those folks, corn gluten is a problem. For the rest of us, the prolamin in corn, zein, is not a worry.

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